Do you know your cyber rights?

Are you a cyberspace junkie? If you own at least two or more online social networking accounts in the Internet — such as Friendster, Facebook, Multiply, MySpace — or if you go online almost every day, you are hooked on the worldwide web.

 Most likely, you can’t wait to upload the photos and videos you take during the holidays, write a blog about your extended vacation, or search the Net for the latest trends and hottest looks this season. 

The Internet is a wonderful communication tool that allows you to communicate with friends, research information on just about anything and create your own personal cyberspace in a matter of minutes. 

The Intellectual Property (IP) Code of the Philippines prohibits any form of copying copyrighted material such as photos, articles, videos and computer software without permission from the owner. So whenever you copy materials such as these from the Internet and post them in your personal online account sites without seeking permission from the owner, you could be breaking the law.

This is just one of the many dangers that you should be cautious of when going online. So in order to save yourself from the trouble of breaking any law, stay informed on cyber-ethics and the risks of going online.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA), an organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world, has launched an online awareness campaign called B4USurf. By logging onto www.b4usurf.org, you will find a fun and helpful resource website that advocates cyber-ethics and cyber safety.

Here are some tips:

• Visit only websites recommended by responsible adults like parents or teachers.

• Downloading a file from the Internet with the proper license or permission is perfectly fine. What you have to avoid is downloading copyrighted materials, such as software, without permission from the owner as this is equivalent to stealing.

• Sharing files with friends can be exciting, but make sure you keep it legal. Programs such as software are copyrighted materials and should not be freely shared and/or distributed without permission from the author.

• If you want to purchase an item on the web, check with a responsible adult if the item is safe to purchase. Do not too easily believe any low price offers on the web, especially for software. If the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Chatting is another cool way to hook up with friends, but be wary of strangers. Do not respond to messages of people you do not know.

• Just like going outside the house, let your parents know which sites you have been to or the people you have been communicating with online. It is important that your parents are informed of your activities on the Internet.

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Source: Youth’s Guide to Online Safety, www.b4usurf.org.